An electrically operated assembly and electrically operated personal care implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023225492-A1
Application number	US-202318096840-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 13, 2023
Priority date	Jan 20, 2022
Publication date	Jul 20, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrically operated assembly comprises a handle housing defining an inner cavity, a connector for repeatably attaching and detaching a head to and from the assembly, and a motor for operating the assembly, wherein the connector comprises a recess in which the motor is accommodated, and the connector is at least partially made from a material having an e-modulus being higher than the e-modulus of the material from which the handle housing is made.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) comprising a handle housing ( 20 ) defining an inner cavity ( 18 ), a connector ( 16 ) for repeatably attaching and detaching a head ( 14 ) to and from the assembly, and a motor ( 34 ) for operating the assembly,
wherein the connector ( 16 ) comprises a recess ( 17 ) in which the motor ( 34 ) is accommodated, and wherein the connector ( 16 ) is at least partially made from a material having an e-modulus that is higher than an e-modulus of a material from which the handle housing ( 20 ) is made.

2 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 1 , wherein the material from which the connector ( 16 ) is at least partially made has an e-modulus of at least 4000 MPa.

3 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 1 , wherein the connector ( 16 ) is at least partially molded from a hard plastic material selected from a fiber-reinforced material, a glass fiber-reinforced material, and any combination thereof.

4 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 1 , wherein the motor ( 34 ) comprises an eccentric weight ( 35 ) and is mounted by press-fitting within the connector ( 16 ).

5 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 1 , wherein an overall length extension (Lc) of the connector ( 16 ) has a first sub-length (Li) extending within the inner cavity ( 18 ) defined by the handle housing ( 20 ), and a second sub-length (Lo) extending outside of the handle housing ( 20 ), wherein a ratio (Rc) of the first sub-length (Li) to the second sub-length (Lo) is from about 1 to about 1.7.

6 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 1 , wherein an overall length extension (Lc) of the connector ( 16 ) extending along a longitudinal connector axis (Xc) is from about 35 mm to about 45 mm.

7 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 5 , wherein the first sub-length (Li) of the connector ( 16 ) extending within the inner cavity ( 18 ) of the handle housing ( 20 ) is from about 20 mm to about 25 mm and/or wherein the sub-length (Lo) of the connector ( 16 ) extending outside of the housing ( 20 ) is from about 15 mm to about 20 mm.

8 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 1 , wherein a ratio (Rhc) of an overall length extension (Lh) of the handle housing ( 20 ) extending along a longitudinal housing axis (Xh) to an overall length extension (Lc) of the connector ( 16 ) extending along a longitudinal connector axis (Xc) is from about 2.5 to about 4.5.

9 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 1 , wherein an overall length extension (Lh) of the handle housing ( 20 ) extending along a longitudinal housing axis (Xh) is from about 120 mm to about 150 mm.

10 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 1 , wherein the recess ( 17 ) of the connector ( 16 ) accommodating the motor ( 34 ) is located within the sub-length (Li) of the connector ( 16 ) extending within the inner cavity ( 18 ) defined by the handle housing ( 20 ).

11 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 1 , wherein the inner cavity ( 18 ) of the housing ( 20 ) comprises an energy source ( 38 ).

12 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 1 , wherein the connector ( 16 ) comprises a spring-loaded snap element ( 116 ) for repeatably attaching and detaching the head ( 14 ) to and from the assembly ( 12 ).

13 . An electrically operated personal-care implement ( 10 ) comprising the electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 1 and a head ( 14 ).

14 . The electrically operated personal-care implement ( 10 ) of claim 13 , wherein the implement ( 10 ) is an electrically operated oral-care implement.

15 . An electrically operated personal-care implement ( 10 ) of claim 13 , wherein the head is configured to be repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the electrically operated assembly ( 12 ).

16 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 2 , wherein the material from which the connector ( 16 ) is at least partially made has an e-modulus of from about 4000 MPa to about 20000 MPa.

17 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 16 , wherein the material from which the connector ( 16 ) is at least partially made has an e-modulus of from about 10000 MPa to about 11000 MPa, even further preferably about 10400 MPa.

18 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 17 , wherein the material from which the connector ( 16 ) is at least partially made has an e-modulus of about 10400 MPa.

19 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 5 , wherein the ratio (Rc) of the first sub-length (Li) to the second sub-length (Lo) is from about 1 to about 1.5.

20 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 6 , wherein an overall length extension (Lc) of the connector ( 16 ) extending along a longitudinal connector axis (Xc) is from about 39 mm to about 43 mm.

21 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 7 , wherein the first sub-length (Li) of the connector ( 16 ) extending within the inner cavity ( 18 ) of the handle housing ( 20 ) is from about 22 mm to about 24 mm and/or wherein the sub-length (Lo) of the connector ( 16 ) extending outside of the housing ( 20 ) is from about 17 mm to about 19 mm.

22 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 8 , wherein the ratio (Rhc) of an overall length extension (Lh) of the handle housing ( 20 ) to an overall length extension (Lc) of the connector ( 16 ) is from about 3.0 to about 3.5.

23 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 9 , wherein the overall length extension (Lh) of the handle housing ( 20 ) extending along a longitudinal housing axis (Xh) is from about 125 mm to about 145 mm.

24 . The electrically operated assembly ( 12 ) of claim 23 , wherein the overall length extension (Lh) of the handle housing ( 20 ) extending along a longitudinal housing axis (Xh) is from about 130 mm to about 140 mm.

Assignees

• Gillette Co Llc

Inventors

• Jungnickel Uwe
• Götz Nicolas

Classifications

• A46B2200/1066

  Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures (A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04) · CPC title

• A61C2201/00

  Material properties · CPC title

• A61C2204/002

  using batteries · CPC title

• A61C17/005

  Devices for dental prophylaxis · CPC title

• A46B13/02

  power-driven {carriers} · CPC title